Welcome to Share the Wealth Link Party! Thanks for visiting Laugh, Love, and Craft. I'd love for you to share your ideas on recipes, coupons, and crafts! If you have been featured or are being featured this week, please grab my feature button!

~Grab my button or a link back here, and post it anywhere on your blog if you link up to my party. This way more people can join in the fun and it's polite! (If not, I won't be able to feature you on next weeks post!)

~Make sure to visit some of the other participant pages and leave some feedback. (I am a teacher at heart, and I know people LOVE comments!

Thanks, and party on!

Don't fret idea seekers! If you're not a blogger and are visiting for ideas, click on the thumbnails for some great tutorials!

The list will be open until Sunday. So come back and link up your newest creations!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Can you tell that I did some major baking from the picture below? Lucky me, I get to do it all over today at my parents house! Anyway, I wanted to share some of ideas that I do to make my life easier when baking. Hope these tips help you in the crazy rush to get everything done.

Like the letter to Santa, or need a printable letter from Santa? Check out thispost.

When making dough, I sometimes make it a few days early. That way I can get a little done here and there. Even if I am not pre-making the dough, I always wrap my dough in fist sized balls. This way, if the dough needs to be chilled for best results, you are keeping it cold while rolling out the others. It also prevents your dough from getting hair or dust in it.

When rolling out my dough, rather than getting flour all over you and your kitchen, I use wax paper or plastic wrap. I prefer to use wax paper. To get the cookies up from the paper, I use a metal spatula and spray a little canola oil or vegetable oil on it.

Another thing that makes my life easier is using a baby spoon to spread my royal icing onto my cookies. It seems to be the perfect amount of icing, and is small enough to get the little pieces that stick out.

Make sure to come back on Wednesday for my Share the Wealth Link Party, it's open until Sunday each week!

I love the look of Christmas bulbs in glass jars. This picturesparked my interest, and gave me an idea. I have a beautiful cake stand/punch bowl fromWilliams-Sonomathat I wanted to use for this idea. I found some inexpensive pretty bulbs at Walmart. I'm talking cheap, $2.99 for 10! I bought two packs. I flipped the lid over to make the bowl, filled it with bulbs, and placed the cake plate down. I slowly turned over the whole thing and it was DONE! So EASY! Hope this inspires your holiday table!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Are you still looking for last minute gifts for the holiday season? Check out this thoughtful yet quick gift tutorial. As soon as I made one of these for myself, I started using it. I warm it up quite a few times during the day. I have used it on my feet, shoulder, and even when I get cramps. I absolutely love it, and can't wait to give it as a gift. It's super easy to make and only takes a few materials. I got this fabulous tutorial at V and Co.

Make sure to link up to my Share the Wealth Link Party, it's open until Sunday each week!

Materials:

10 oz. Rice

Fat Quarter of Muslin (Fat quarter measures 18 x 22)

Fat Quarter of chosen fabric (I used flannel for all of mine, it's much softer and cozier!)

Basic sewing supplies

Directions

Start by cutting your muslin into two 14 x 7 rectangles.

Using a 1/4 in. seam allowance, sew around the edges of your muslin leaving one short side (7 in.) open.

Trim your corners, and flip the bag inside out.

Fill your bag with about 1 pound 10 ounces of rice.

Fold the raw edge inward, and sew bag shut.

Your rice bag should look like this when finished, set this aside for later.

Next, cut your fabric into 3 pieces. 14 x 7, 10 x 7, and 8 x 7.

Take the two shorter pieces of fabric, and fold over 1/4 inch once (on one of the 7 inch side) and press with an iron. Repeat the fold so that no raw edge is showing. (This will be the back of your slip cover.)

Next, sew the fabric to create a finished edge.

Layer your fabric with the 14 x 7 piece right side up and the two shorter pieces right side down.

Pin in place.

Using a 1/4 in. seam allowance, sew around the edge.

Back stitch over your finished edge parts, as this will be a stress point.

Once sewn, clip the points off of each corner.

Flip your cover inside out.

Slide your rice sack into the slip cover, warm it up for 2 minutes in the microwave, and get all toasty.

Here are two other versions I made.

Seriously, this is an easy project to make for yourself or someone special. The hubs is asking why I haven't made him one yet!

Welcome to Share the Wealth Link Party! Thanks for visiting Laugh, Love, and Craft. I'd love for you to share your ideas on recipes, coupons, and crafts! If you have been featured or are being featured this week, please grab my feature button!

~Grab my button or a link back here, and post it anywhere on your blog if you link up to my party. This way more people can join in the fun and it's polite! (If not, I won't be able to feature you on next weeks post!)

~Make sure to visit some of the other participant pages and leave some feedback. (I am a teacher at heart, and I know people LOVE comments!

Thanks, and party on!

Don't fret idea seekers! If you're not a blogger and are visiting for ideas, click on the thumbnails for some great tutorials!

The list will be open until Sunday. So come back and link up your newest creations!